Bill Hartman's devotion to Dodges is reflected in his Electric Blue '71 Dart Swinger, a project that spanned 15 years and two states. The little A-body MoPar features a healthy 440 cubic inch V-8 wedged between its front fenders.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Making a 400-horsepower-plus 440 big-block V-8 fit in a compact Dart takes some doing, including a thick billet aluminum motor plate that mounts the engine 3 inches off-center to clear the steering gear.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Hartman says he was hooked on Dodges as a young boy, thanks to his dad's job as service manager at a Dodge dealership in Pennsylvania. `The MoPar blood runs deep,' he confesses.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Two of Hartman's most prized pieces can be seen in this front view of the Dart: an original, intact grille and a straight, rechromed bumper, sourced from sellers in two different states.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Hartman decided the Dart Swinger logo, with the funky flower design, was just too cool to lose, so he kept it on the front fender. For good measure, he retained the passenger-side-only Chrysler Pentastar.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
After the body was stripped of unneeded chrome trim and smoothed, the Auto Body Connection at Rose Hill saturated the sheet metal with PPG Electric Blue Pearl before applying the finishing touch of a painted Bright White tail stripe.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
This undercar shot reveals the Dart is no pure stocker, with an RCI 16-gallon fuel cell, fat Mickey Thompson 29x12.5x15 tires and a full TTI exhaust system giving the car the feel of a serious street performer.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
A set of 10-inch-wide Weld 15-inch racing wheels are used to mount the massive rear tires.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
An old-style MoPar pro-stock-style hood scoop tops the lift-off fiberglass hood on the Dart, giving it a period-correct cold air intake for the big block beneath it.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The RCI fuel cell fits neatly into the space formerly occupied by a spare tire. Hartman fabricated a sub-frame to hold the fuel cell, which is surrounded by a custom-made metal trunk floor.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Driver input is handled by a leather-wrapped Grant GT steering wheel, with shift points indicated by a big Auto Meter play-back tachometer fitted with a shift light.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
A set of Pro-Comp Auto Meter auxiliary gauges have been neatly fitted into the face of the dashboard; a Hurst pistol grip shifter controls the B&M-modified 727 automatic transmission.
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Rear-seat passengers get the same pleated white vinyl upholstery as the up-front occupants.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The factory bench seat was retained, minus the headrests. Lowry's Trim Shop in Abilene, Texas, stitched up the tasteful white pleated vinyl upholstery.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
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